Petunia plant named ‘Balsunplum’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Balsunplum’, characterized by its single type, plum-veined, purple-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, mounded-trailing growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Petunia×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Balsunplum’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balsunplum’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Arroyo Grande, Calif. during November 2003. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Petunia cultivars with single type flowers, unique flower coloration, and a vigorous, mounded-trailing growth habit.

The new Petunia cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Petunia×hybrida breeding selection designated WH2130-3, not patented, characterized by its single type, purple veined, lavender-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and semi-upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Petunia×hybrida breeding selection designated 1553-1, not patented, characterized by its single type rose veined, pink-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and trailing growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during August 2004 in a controlled environment at Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since August 2004 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balsunplum’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Single type, plum-veined, purple-colored flowers;     -   2. Dark green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, mounded-trailing growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in flower color and growth habit and from plants of the male parent primarily in flower color and growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Petunia cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is SUNCATCHER Dark Lavender Vein ‘Balsundalav’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,543. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Balsundalav’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are shorter than plants of         ‘Balsundalav’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have narrower leaves than plants         of ‘Balsundalav’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a petal color and venation         color different from plants of ‘Balsundalav’.

In addition, plants of the new cultivar are similar in comparison to Suncatcher™ Pink Vein ‘Kirimaji Veiny Pink’, not patented. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Kirimaji Veiny Pink’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a petal color and venation         color different from plants of ‘Kirimaji Veiny Pink’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar are narrower than plants of         ‘Kirimaji Veiny Pink’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balsunplum’. The plants were grown in 4.5 inch pots for 9 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balsunplum’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of ‘Balsunplum’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined on Feb. 1, 2006 between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5 inch pots for 9 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Balsunplum. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida breeding             selection designated WH2130-3, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida breeding selection             designated 1553-1, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 6 to 8 weeks from a             rooted cutting.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             mounded-trailing.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 13.0 cm. Width: Approximately 41.7 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Quantity of main branches             per plant: Approximately 4.         -   Branch.—Strength: Moderate to strong. Length: Approximately             33.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.1 mm. Length of central             internode: Approximately 4.5 cm. Texture: Densely glandular             pubescent with a mixture of long and short length hairs.             Gland color: Colorless. Color of young stem: 144A. Color of             mature stem: 144A with a faint overlay of 79A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 10. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple.             Arrangement on flowering stem: Opposite.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Perpendicular or obtuse angle to stem.             Shape: Ovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:             Approximately 6.6 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately             4.5 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely             glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless: Color of upper             surface of young and mature foliage: 137C with venation of             144B. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage:             138B with venation of 144B.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 6.1 mm. Width: Approximately             3.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent with a mixture             of long and short length hairs. Gland color: Colorless.             Color: 144B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balsunplum’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately             7 to 11 days. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Simple, salverform. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 16. Fragrance: Slight.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 1 to 2 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 5.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblong. Length:             Approximately 4.5 cm. Diameter at apex: Approximately             4.3 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately 7.8 mm. Texture:             Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless. Color             of petals: 77A having areas of 77D and venation of 79B.             Color of tube: 79B with venation of 79A.         -   Corolla.—Diameter: Approximately 6.7 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 5, fused to form a tube. Shape: Obovate.             Appearance: Velvety. Margin: Entire, wavy. Apex: Cuspidate.             Length from tube: Approximately 3.2 cm. Length of free             portion: Approximately 1.3 cm. Width: Approximately 3.2 cm.             Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower             surface: Sparsely glandular pubescent. Color of upper             surface when first open: Lighter than N78D with venation of             79A and N78A. Color of lower surface when first open:             Between 77C and 77D with venation between 77A and 77B. Color             of upper surface when fully open: Between N78C and N78D and             with further development closer to N78C with venation of 79A             and N78A. Color of lower surface when fully open: 77C with             venation between 77A and 77B.         -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 3.0 cm. Diameter at             distal end: Approximately 1.4 cm. Diameter at proximal end:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.             Texture of outer surface: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland             color: Colorless. Color of inner surface: N78A with venation             of 79A. Color of outer surface: N79B with venation of N79A.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Acute angle to stem.             Length: Approximately 3.7 cm. Diameter: Approximately             1.4 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent with a mixture             of long and short length hairs. Gland color: Colorless.             Color: 144A with overlay of 79A at distal end.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, fused at base. Shape:             Linear. Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately 1.7 cm. Width:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Densely             glandular pubescent. Texture of lower surface: Densely             glandular pubescent. Color of upper surface: 137A             transitioning to 144A with overlay of 79A at base. Color of             lower surface: 137C transitioning to 144A at base.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5 per             flower, partially fused to inside of corolla tube. Stamen             length: Approximately 2.2 cm. Filament length of free             portion: Approximately 1.5 cm. Filament color: Closest to             N155A with overlay of 79A on lower half. Anther shape:             Bilobed. Anther length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color:             95A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: N155A.             Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length:             Approximately 2.4 cm. Stigma shape: Funnel. Stigma length:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Stigma color: Darker than 79A. Style             length: Approximately 1.9 cm. Style color: Lighter than 144D             transitioning to 79C at apex. Ovary diameter: Approximately             3.0 mm. Ovary color: 144A. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Petunia has not been observed. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Balsunplum’, substantially as herein shown and described. 